Bra

ABSTRACT

A bra that can include one or more internal bands to restrict the movement of the wearer&#39;s breasts. The bra can also include an outer layer and an inner layer that are connected, most often sewn together, and the one or more internal bands are disposed between the front and inner layers. The internal bands are configured to extend across the breast horizontally to restrict vertical, horizontal, and in-and-out movement of the breast.

PRIORITY Claim Priority to Provisional Patent Application

This application is a non-provisional utility patent applicationclaiming priority to previously filed provisional patent applicationtitled “BRA” and having application No. 62/596,614 and filed on Dec. 8,2017.

BACKGROUND

The bra described and depicted herein relates to a support garment.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

For decades now, the bra has been developed to provide a basic level ofsupport to breasts during every day activities. More recently, sportsbras have been developed to provide support and minimize the movement ofbreasts during physical activity. Control of motion of the breastsduring activity is important, as it reduces pain and injury to thebreast tissue. Two primary approaches have been taken to accomplishthis, the compression-type approach and the encapsulation-type approach.These approaches aim to minimize movement of the breasts either bycompressing the breast to the chest of the wearer by a compressionfabric or by encapsulating the breast in a molded cup and supportingeach breast individually, respectively.

The inevitable goal of any sports bra is to comfortably reduce, resist,and/or restrict multi-directional breast displacement, includingside-to-side (horizontal) movement, up-and-down (vertical) movement, andforwards-backwards movement. However, no existing version of the sportsbra comfortably prevents movement of the breasts in all directionsduring physical activity. Furthermore, current bras are still severelyinadequate for large breasted women. Therefore, a need exists for a bracapable of comfortably restricting breast movement during physicalactivity of all varieties.

SUMMARY

The brassiere (referred to herein as “bra”) described herein includes agarment designed to provide breast restriction and support to women ofall breast size, but particularly women with large breasts. Thisdisclosure often refers to “breast” to indicate the support provided toeach breast, but, whether referred to in the plural or singular form,this disclosure should be understood to mean one or more of the wearer'sbreasts. Similarly, this disclosure is applicable for wearers who haveeither one or two breasts and, for wearers having two breasts, the bradisclosed herein can accommodate breasts that are the same or differentsizes from one another.

One aspect of the bra is to provide compression and support of breasttissue during physical activities in which the breasts are likely toexperience some degree of movement, such as bounce during running. Thebra is also designed to prevent discomfort and tissue tearing that mayoccur during high-impact activities. Generally, the purpose of the brais to provide support to the breasts during any activity, but mostnotably physical activity; thus, the bra can also be referred to as a“sports bra.” Physical activity can include, but is not limited to,running, jumping, jogging, or walking, as well as sports activities likeyoga, soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis, golf, ultimate frisbee,swimming, horseback riding, biking, etc.

Another aspect of the bra is to provide stretch of the material withoutloss of support to the user. More particularly, the bra can include oneor more stretch zones specifically designed to accommodate breasts ofall shapes and sizes and to accommodate activity movement in alldirections. The stretch zones can be accomplished by incorporatingone-way stretch, two-way stretch, or non-stretch fabrics.

Another aspect of the bra includes interior support straps to furtherprevent movement of the breast during physical activity. Most notably,an upper strap can be positioned about the top portion of the breast torestrict both upward movement and forwards/backwards movement.Similarly, a lower strap can be positioned about the lower portion ofthe breast to restrict downward movement and forwards/backwardsmovement.

Additional aspects of the bra can include methods of making and usingthe bra in accordance with the foregoing aspects. It should also benoted that the bra further encompasses the various possible combinationsof the aspects and features disclosed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

The accompanying drawings illustrate various exemplary implementationsand are part of the specification. The illustrated implementations areproffered for purpose of example, not for purpose of limitation.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective front view of the bra, as discussed anddescribed herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a back-side view of the bra, as discussed and describedherein.

FIG. 3 depicts a front-side view of the bra, as discussed and describedherein.

FIG. 4 depicts a close-up view of the wing portion of the bra, asdiscussed and described herein.

FIG. 5A depicts a perspective front view of the bra having a cut-out toshow the interior of the bra, as discussed and described herein.

FIG. 5B depicts a cross-sectional view of the cup of the bra about thebreast of the wearer, as discussed and described herein.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective front view of the bra worn by a wearer, asdiscussed and described herein.

FIG. 7 depicts a perspective side view of the bra worn by a wearer, asdiscussed and described herein.

FIG. 8 depicts a rear-side view of the bra worn by a wearer, asdiscussed and described herein.

FIG. 9 depicts another rear-side view of the bra worn by the wearer, asdiscussed and described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The bra disclosed herein can include one or more internal bands torestrict the movement of the wearer's breasts. More particularly, thebra can include an outer layer and an inner layer that are connected,most often sewn together, and one or more internal bands which aredisposed between the outer and inner layers. The internal bands areconfigured to extend across the breast horizontally. The upper band isconfigured to extend from at least the outside edge of one cup to theoutside edge of the other, and at a position such that when the bra isbeing worn, the upper band provides a downward force to the upper partof the breast; generally, above the nipple. The lower band is configuredto extend from at least the outside edge of one cup to the outside edgeof the other, and at a position such that when the bra is warn, thelower band provides an upward force to the lower part of the breast;generally, below the nipple.

The inner layer of the bra can be the layer that comes into contact withthe wearer's skin and the outer layer of the bra can be the outer mostlayer of the bra when it is worn. Each of the outer and inner layers ofthe bra can include one or more panels, including the cup panels, thechest panel, the shoulder strap panel, the wing panel, or anycombination thereof.

To providing an adequate description, the bra is shown in twoconfigurations. The first configuration is the “worn configuration”,which depicts the bra as if it is being worn by a person ormannequin—with the shoulder straps extending over the shoulders andconnected to the appropriate wing straps about the person's back. Thesecond configuration is the “flat configuration,” which depicts the braas if it were laid out flat on a table.

FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of the bra 100 in the wornconfiguration. The bra can include two cups 102, two shoulder straps104, an under-bust band 106, an upper internal band 112, a lowerinternal band 114, or any combination thereof.

The bra can include a chest section 103 that generally refers to thematerial covering the wearer's chest, or front torso. The chest section103 includes the cups 102. The shoulder straps 104 are attached to andextend upwardly from the chest section 103, and the wing sections 110are attached to and extend from the right and left sides of the chestsection. In one or more embodiments, the bra, or at least the chestsection 103 (including the cups 102) of the bra, can include one or morelayers. In a preferred embodiment, the bra can include at least twolayers, an outer layer and an inner layer, of material sewn togetherabout one or more seams; for example, about a peripheral seam. The spaceor void formed between the outer and inner layers can be referred to asthe “interior” or “interior space” of the bra.

FIG. 2 depicts the inside surface of the bra 100 and FIG. 3 depicts theoutside surface of the bra 100, both shown in the flat configuration.The features seen from this view include at least a chest section 103,the one or more cups 102, the shoulder straps 104, the receiver straps108, the wing sections 110, center back faster components 118 a, 118 b,shoulder strap fastener components, the under-bust band 106, and theupper internal band 112.

The upper internal band 112 can be disposed between the outer and innerlayers of the bra 100 and extend from the interior of the bra 100. In atleast one embodiment, the upper internal band 112 can be a piece ofmaterial passing through the interior of the bra such that a first endof the upper internal band 112 extends from the first side of the bra100 and a second end of the upper internal band 112 extends from asecond side of the bra 100. Extending from the interior of the bra caninclude coming out from a slit or hole at or near a seam A₁ and A₂ at ornear the wing section 110 on the left and/or right side of the bra, suchthat the user can grasp the band directly. By extending the band throughsuch a slit on either side, the wearer is given more control and abilityto manipulate the length of band 112 for preferred compression. Thisexposure of the band 112 allows the wearer to manipulate and positionthe band 112 for purposes of comfort and support. The position of theone or more slits can vary. As shown, a slit can be positioned about theseam A₁ and A₂ between the wing section 110 and the central, or front,section of the bra. In at least one embodiment, the center of the upperinternal band 112 (as shown in FIG. 5A) can be sewn or tacked into place(via stitching to the inside and/or outside layer of the bra) to preventthe upper internal band 112 from coming out of the bra or sliding aroundthe wearer unnecessarily.

Though not shown, the lower internal band 114, similar to the upperinternal band 112 described herein, can also or alternatively be a pieceof material passing through the interior of the bra such that a firstend of the lower internal band 114 extends from the first side of thebra 100 and a second end of the lower internal band 114 extends from asecond side of the bra 100. In one or more embodiments, the center ofthe lower internal band 114 can be sewn or tacked into place, viastitching to the inside and/or outside layer of the bra or by stitching114 to the bra closure, 118 a and 118 b, to prevent the lower internalband 112 from corning out of the bra or sliding out of position.

FIG. 4 depicts a close-up back side view of the left-wing section 110(the right wing being a mirror image thereof), and the upper internalband 112 extending from the interior of the bra 100. The gap or slit canbe disposed about a seam A connecting the outer and inner layers of thebra 100 so that the upper internal band 112 can extend out from theinterior of the bra 100. Said gap can occur on the right and left sideof the bra 100 so that the right and left ends of the upper internalband 112 can extend out from the interior of the bra 100.

The upper internal band 112 can be made of a stretchable material (i.e.,elastic) and configured to reach around the torso of and attach aboutthe back side of the wearer. As such, the upper internal band 112provides support to the breast that is independent of the supportprovided by the rest of the bra 100. More specifically, the upperinternal band 112 that extends through the cup region 102 can engage thebreasts and provide a downward force and/or upward resistance to thebreast(s). This downward force can reduce or eliminate the upward motionof the breast, most notably during physical activity. Upward motion ofthe breast can be caused by up and down motion of the breast (mostcommon during activities such as running or jumping). The upper internalband 112 also engages the breast and thereby also reduces side to sidemotion of the breast as well as front to back movement.

The lower internal band 114 can be made of a stretchable material (i.e.,elastic) and configured to reach around the torso of and attach aboutthe back side of the wearer. As such, the lower internal band 114provides support to the breast that is independent of the supportprovided by the rest of the bra 100. More specifically, the lowerinternal band 114 that extends through the cup region can engage thebreasts and provide an upward force and/or downward resistance to thebreast(s). This upward force can reduce or eliminate the downward motionof the breast, most notably during physical activity. Downward motion ofthe breast can be caused by up and down motion of the breast (mostcommon during activities such as running or jumping) or simply bydownward force caused by the weight of the breast. The lower internalband 114, by its design, engages the breast and thereby also reducesside to side motion of the breast during activities such as tennis andgolf The compression that it provides also reduces front to back motioncommon in activities involving bending or moving forward such as stepaerobics, rowing, or running.

FIG. 5A depicts a front perspective view of the bra with a cut-outshowing the position of the internal bands 112, 114. The upper internalband 112 extends across an upper portion of both cups 102 and reachesaround to the wing section on each side. The lower internal band 114 isshown traversing the lower portion of each cup 102 and reaching aroundto the back side of the wearer. The lower portion of the cup(s) 102generally correspond to, or otherwise generally engage, the lowerportion of the wearer's breast(s). Similarly, the upper portion of thecup(s) 102 generally correspond to, or otherwise generally engage, theupper portion of the wearer's breast(s).

FIG. 5B depicts an exploded, cross-sectional view of the bra 100 in theworn configuration. The features shown in FIG. 5B include the wearer'sbreast 200, the inner layer 130 of the bra, the internal bands 112, 114,and the outer layer 132 of the bra. Both of the inner layer 130 and theouter layer 132 can individually be made of one or more layers ofmaterial. The primary purpose of distinguishing the inner and outerlayers 130, 132 is to identify the internal space created therebetween.The internal space, as disclosed herein, houses at least the centralportions of the upper and lower internal bands 112, 114. In at least onealternative embodiment, one or more additional layers (in addition tothe inner and outer layers 130, 132) can be included and two or moreinternal spaces can be created as a result. The upper and lower internalbands 112, 114 can be about the same width or can vary from one anotherin width.

FIGS. 6-9 depict the bra in the worn configuration. FIG. 6 depicts afront perspective view of a person wearing the bra 100, FIG. 7 depicts aside perspective view of a person wearing the bra 100, and FIGS. 8 and 9depict a rear perspective view of a person wearing the bra 100. The bra100 can generally fit around the upper torso area of the wearer and besecured into place by one or more fasteners. The shoulder straps 104 areattached to the chest section 103 of the bra, generally above the cups102, and are disposed over the shoulders of the wearer. As shown in FIG.7, the wing sections 110 extend around the side of the wearer under thearm and have receiver straps 108 attached to and extending upwardtherefrom. The shoulder straps 104 connect to the corresponding shoulderstrap receivers 108. As shown in FIG. 8, one or more hooks 124 disposedon a distal end of the shoulder strap receiver 108 can be configured toconnect to a corresponding loop 122 disposed on a distal end of theshoulder strap 104. In at least one embodiment, the distal end of theshoulder strap can include one or more loops at varying positions (i.e.tighten or loosen) so that the wearer can adjust the shoulder strap tofit comfortably.

As shown in FIG. 9, the upper internal band 112 can be connected aboutthe back of the wearer by one or more fastener components. Mostcommonly, the fastener components include one or more hooks 126 b aboutthe first end of the upper internal band 112 and one or morecorresponding eyelets 126 a about the second end of the upper internalband 112. To connect the ends of the upper internal band 112, the wearercan dispose the one or more hooks 126 b into the corresponding eyelets126 a.

Referring to FIG. 8, once the upper internal band 112 is fastenedtogether, the wearer can then fasten the back fastener 118 of the bra100. The back fastener components 118 a, 118 b can be disposed about thedistal end of the wing section 100 on which they are attached; thedistal end of the wing section being the end furthest away from the endthat is attached to the chest section 103 of the bra. The back fastener118 can include one or more hooks 118 b and one or more correspondingeyelets 118 a. The hooks 118 a of the back fastener can be inserted intothe one or more corresponding eyelets 118 a at a position such that theband is stretched and/or wrapped around the wearer such that the band iscomfortable for the wearer. Depending on the support needed by thewearer, the wearer can tighten or loosen the band by selecting adiffered fastened position for the back fastener. As shown in FIGS. 8and 9, the back fastener 118 can lay over, or on the outside of, theupper internal band 112 to provide a more comfortable fit andaesthetically pleasing appearance.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer and inner layers of the bracan each be made of a combination of one or more panels. The panels canbe sewn together, or otherwise connected, to form the outer and innerlayers. Each panel can be altered in size and shape so that the bra as awhole is tailored to fit a wearer of a particular bust or chest size.For example, the panel surrounding the breast cups can be enlarged toaccommodate different size wearers. The cups 102 can also be sized up ordown depending on the breast size of the wearer.

The inner layer can include one or more panels, including the cup panels102, the chest panel, the shoulder strap panel, or a combinationthereof. The inner layer can be made of a material well suited tointeract with the wearer's skin. For example, the inner layer caninclude a material that does not chafe the wearer's skin during physicalactivity, especially when the material and/or skin becomes wet (i.e.,when the wearer is sweating). Appropriate material can include, but isnot limited to, microfiber, warp knitted fabric, or other fabricscapable of stretching in two or more directions and/or wicking moistureaway from the skin. The inner layer can be made of a Nylon/Spandexmixture. For example, the fabric of the inner layer can be a compositionof nylon and spandex (i.e., LYCREA, ELASPAN, ROICA, CREORA, DORLASTAN,LINEL, ESPA).

The material of the cups can be configured to encapsulate the breast andprovide support to the base of the breast. For the cup panel of theinner layer of the bra, the material may be specially selected to so asprovide greater comfort and reduced chafing to the sensitive skin of thebreasts and the wearer's nipples. For example, the fabric of the cupsmay range from 50 to 350 gsm (grams per square meter). In anotherexample, the fabric can be a 75/25 Nylon/Spandex microfiber having alighter weight than the other material of the bra (i.e., 75-85 gsm). Theouter layer can be made of any of the materials described herein,including those referred to in the description of the inner layer.

The material of the portion of the bra surrounding the cups, referred toas the chest panel, can be made of a material capable of no stretch,two-way stretch, four-way stretch, or a combination thereof. Two-waystretch material can include material capable of stretching in thehorizontal direction but not in the vertical direction, or materialcapable of stretching in the vertical direction but not the horizontaldirection. Four-way stretch material can include material capable ofstretching in the horizontal direction as well as the verticaldirection.

The material of the portion of the bra surrounding the cups can includea polyester/spandex composite material. For example, this material caninclude a 94/6 polyester/Spandex material having a two-way verticalstretch. This portion of the bra can include a material having a weightranging from about 100 gsm to about 500 gsm, about 200 gsm to about 400gsm, or about 300 gsm.

In one or more embodiments, the outer and/or inner layers of the bra caneach be made of one or more layers connected by appropriate connectionmeans, including gluing, laminating, welding, stitching, or acombination thereof. As such, the layering of different fabrics inselected orientations can result in added support and reduction ofbreast movement during activity. The bra comfortably reduces, resists,and/or restricts multi-directional breast displacement, includingside-to-side (horizontal) movement, up-and-down (vertical) movement, andforwards-backwards movement.

The bra can also be used as a garment to provide compression and supportto the breasts of those who have recently undergone breast reductions,breast augmentations, or reconstructive surgery on their breasts due tobreast cancer or other conditions. Because it encapsulates the breastsvia seams rather than via underwire and provides compression andcoverage over the whole breast area, the bra may prove effective fortherapeutic use.

Testing

A wide variety of sports bras are currently available offering differinglevels of support. As women select sports bras they attempt to balance aneed for support, comfort, and aesthetics. The amount of support a womandesires depends on the size of her breasts and the type of activity sheis completing. A comparative study of 5 currently available sports braswas completed. The goal was to see relative differences in breast motionduring a single jump motion to quantify the relative differences insupport each bra provided.

The purpose was to compare breast movement while wearing five differentsports bras currently on the market. For set up, a white grid board witha 1-inch grid was used as a background. A yardstick was attached to thegrid board to provide a ¼-inch measurement reference. A bright light wasaimed at the test area for filming. The camera used was an iPhone 6S,and it was set to video recording at slow-motion speed of 240 frames persecond. The camera was attached to a tripod and placed a consistentdistance from the white grid board in such a way that the yardstick andtest environment were in the center of the frame.

To determine the ability to measure position, velocity, andacceleration, the motion of a falling tennis ball was captured on videoduring a 30-inch fall and the acceleration due to gravity wascalculated. This was repeated about 5 times. Acceleration due to gravitywas calculated based on the ball's position in each frame. Position ofthe tennis ball in each frame was calculated using two differentmethods: one using Kinovea motion analysis software, and the second wasselecting ball position in ¼ in increments from individual frames of thevideos. Changing position data was then converted to velocity andacceleration by graphing the data in Excel and doing a best fit curve,as shown in Graph 1. Acceleration of Gravity in Imperial Units: 1 ag=1g=32.174 ft/s2=386.1 in/s2=22 mph/s. The calibration results came within3% consistently which was determined to be acceptable, as comparablyshown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Goal 32.174 Measured (15.86*2) 31.72 Difference 0.454 Error %1.4%

Bounce Tests Using the Sports Bras

To isolate bounce of the breast, the position of the tip of the breastwas measured in relation to the position of the shoulder. The subjectcompleted a standing jump in each bra. The motion of the shoulder wasused to ensure a similar height jump was completed in each bra. Duringthe jump the motion of the tip of the breast relative to the shoulderwas used to quantify the amount of breast bounce. In each test, twofiducials were placed on the subject. The first fiducial was placed onthe sports bra at the tip of the breast—the point on the breast furthestremoved from the body. The second fiducial was placed on the upper arm,on the skin over the right humeral head. The humeral head can be felteasily on the subject.

The bounce tests were done using a single subject, a 40 year old womanwith size 32H breasts. The subject donned each of the five sports brasone at a time and 3-4 slow-motion videos were taken of jumps in eachsports bra. For each test, the subject had the two fiducials placed onher person and she jumped in the test environment with an approximately45 degree bend in her knees at an average jump height of 25 inches. Shewas instructed to land each jump with straight legs so that no shockwould be absorbed by the bend in her knees.

Once all five sports bras' bounce tests were complete, data wasextracted from the videos using the Kinovea software. The softwareoutputted data into Excel spreadsheets of the position of each fiducialper film frame which were used to create graphical representations ofthis data in Graph 2. The bra disclosed herein is referred to as theSiggie Lodoen Sports Bra. The other sports bras tested, (Sports Bra 1-4)are sports bras already on the market and available for consumerpurchasing. Sports Bra 1 is the Lululemon Purple 3122 (Lululemon AllSport Bra®), Sports Bra 2 is the Lululemon Black 3126 (LululemonEnlite®), Sports Bra 3 is the Panache greyish lilac 3127 (PanacheUnderwire®), Sports Bra 4 is the Enell black 3132 (Enell Sport®).

TABLE 2 Results Sports Sports Sports Sports Siggie Bra Bra Bra BraLodoen 1 2 3 4 Sports Bra Max of breast fiducial 2.12 0.85 0.76 0.41 0relative to shoulder fiducial (once bouncing, in inches) Min of breastfiducial −2.16 −2.08 −1.68 −2.69 −2.18 relative to shoulder fiducial(once bouncing, in inches) Inches of in motion 4.28 2.93 2.44 3.1 2.18breast bounce

As shown in Graph 2 and Table 2, the Siggie Lodoen Sports Bra reducesthe motion of the breast during a bounce (or jump) more than any otherbra tested. Sports Bra 1 allowed the breast to move a total of 4.28inches during the test, Sports Bra 2 allowed the breast to move a totalof 2.93 inches during the test, Sports Bra 3 allowed the breast to movea total of 2.44 inches during the test, Sports Bra 4 allowed the breastto move a total of 3.1 inches during the test. The Siggie Lodoen Sportsbra showed the greatest restriction of the breast, allowing the breastto move a total of 2.18 inches during the test. The Siggie Lodoen SportsBra therefor comfortably reduces, resists, and/or restricts at least theup-and-down (vertical) movement of the breast.

Although the present bra has been described with respect to specificdetails, it is not intended that such details be regarded as limitationson the scope of the bra. It will thus be appreciated that those skilledin the art will be able to devise numerous alternative arrangementsthat, while not shown or described herein, embody the principles of thebra and thus are within its spirit and scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bra comprising: a chest section having an outerlayer and an inner layer, creating an internal space therebetween; anupper internal band extending through the internal space and across theupper portion of one or more cups, wherein the upper internal bandrestricts the movement of a wearer's breast.
 2. The bra of claim 1,wherein each end of the upper internal band extends from a side of thechest section through a corresponding slit and wherein the ends areconfigured to fasten to one another.
 3. The bra of claim 2, furthercomprising: a lower internal band extending through the internal spaceand across the lower portion of the one or more cups, wherein the lowerinternal band resists downward movement of the wearer's breast.
 4. Thebra of claim 1, further comprising: a lower internal band extendingacross the chest section and attached at a seam about a wing section onthe left and right sides of the bra.
 5. The bra of claim 4, wherein whenworn by a wearer the upper internal band provides downward force to thebreast to prevent at least upward movement of the breast and the lowerinternal band provides upward force to the breast to prevent at leastdownward movement of the breast.
 6. The bra of claim 1, wherein the brais made of at least one elastic materials.
 7. The bra of claim 1,wherein the upper internal band is made of elastic material.
 8. A bra tosupport a wearer's breasts, comprising: a chest section having an outerlayer and an inner layer, creating an internal space therebetween; anupper internal band extending through the internal space and across theupper portion of one or more cups, each end of the upper internal bandextending from a corresponding slit in the bra and configured to fastento one another about the wearer's back; and a wing section extendingfrom each of the right and left side of the chest section, the wingsections having fasteners about their distal ends and configured tofasten to one another about the wearer's back.
 9. The bra of claim 8,further comprising: a lower internal band extending through the internalspace and across the lower portion of the one or more cups.
 10. The braof claim 9, wherein the upper internal band restricts upward movement ofthe wearer's breast and wherein the lower internal band restrictsdownward movement of the wearer's breast.
 11. The bra of claim 10,wherein the upper internal band and lower internal band is made ofelastic material.
 12. The bra of claim 8, further comprising: a lowerinternal band extending through the internal space and across the lowerportion of the one or more cups, each end of the upper internal bandextending from a corresponding slit in the bra and configured to fastento one another about the wearer's back.
 13. A method for wearing a bra,comprising: placing the chest section of the bra about the wearers chestsuch that one or more cups engage one or more of the wearer's breasts,wherein the bra comprises: a chest section having an outer layer and aninner layer, creating an internal space therebetween, a wing sectionextending from the right side of the chest section and a wing sectionextending from the left side of the chest section, and an upper internalband extending through the internal space and across the upper portionof one or more cups, each end of the upper internal band extending froma corresponding slit in the bra; fastening the upper internal band aboutthe wearer's back; and fastening the center back fastener componentsextending from the wing sections.